CinderCrutchie
by LemonySnicket-II
Summary: Poor Crutchie is left at home while the other Newsies go to a Party. Then along comes...well read the story and find out


Once upon a time in New York...  
  
  
  
  
  
There lived a poor, crippled orphan named CinderCrutchie. His parents had died when he was just a baby and left him in care of a boarding house. Crutchie was not able to deliver papers as well as the other newsies, so when he arrived home in the evenings he had to sweep the floors, spit shine their shoes, clean the loos and showers, and cut Racetrack's cigars for him while he relaxed in his bed. Another daily chore for Crutchie was for him to sweep the ashes out from under the bed that came from Race's cigars. When he would perform this task he would get very dirty and have a lot of soot on his face so the other newsies called him CinderCrutchie.  
  
CinderCrutchie lived a hard life, no doubt, but things got even worse for him one day when a letter came to the Newsies bunk, inviting them to Davy's party. All the Newsies were excited and so was CinderCrutchie but soon his happiness turned to tears. Mush and Kid Blink, two of the Newsies who were the meanest to CinderCrutchie, gave him a list of chores that would take forever. He knew it probably wouldn't be possible but he bargained with them and asked if he could go to the party if he were to finish all the chores. Mush and Kid Blink, also knowing this would be impossible, agreed.  
  
Little CinderCrutchie hobbled around all day cleaning and washing and sweeping cigar ashes. He cooked a hearty lunch for the boys and helped them mend their clothes and get ready for the party. Five minutes before time to go CinderCrutchie went up to Racetrack and told him that he was finished with his chores. Racetrack replied saying that he was too dirty and scraggly to go to a party and that he would have to stay home. CinderCrutchie was very upset, but he just nodded and went to his little bunk in the darkest corner of the boarding house and cried as he watched all the other Newsies, and the owner of the Boarding House Mr.Spidarro, leave in their best of clothing...hand washed and groomed by himself.   
  
Mush looked at Crutchie and came over to his bedside and told him that he was not going to attend the party by any means. Then the horrible Mush took CinderCrutchie's old worn out crutch and broke it in half. Then Mush walked out the door with the other Newsies and CinderCrutchie was all Alone.  
  
As CinderCrutchie drifted into a woeful sleep, a light shone very brightly through a window. CinderCrutchie sat up in his bunk and looked out into the night and saw somebody flying into his room. He was old and wore a blue robe. The mysterious man also carried a magic wand that glowed in his hands. He flew in through the boarding house window and stood in front of CinderCrutchie, who was very shocked and amazed.  
  
"Hello CinderCrutchie", the old man said smiling.  
  
"Hello", said CinderCrutchie, "Who are you?"  
  
"I", answered the man, " Am your Fairy Kloppfather!"  
  
"My fairy what?" CinderCrutchie asked.  
  
"Your Fairy Kloppfather. I'm the one that helps you in your time of deepest and darkest despair...and I was in the neighborhood." The Fairy Kloppfather said.  
  
"Why are you here" CinderCrutchie asked.  
  
"Don't you wish to go to Davy's party?" he asked in return.  
  
"Yes! Yes! More than anything! Can you help me go?" CinderCrutchie exclaimed.  
  
"Of Course", the old man said happily, "But first we need to find you some new clothes. Let me see...Ah Ha!" The old man waved his wand in his hand and said a magical spell and then magically CinderCrutchie was covered in the finest clothes you could have ever seen!  
  
"Wow! These are really swell! I wish you were over the boarding house instead of Mr.Spidarro. Everything would be better then!"  
  
"Is that what you really wish?"  
  
"Yeah! Yeah I do!"  
  
Then the Fairy Kloppfather waved his wand and he was in regular clothes and the name above the boarder's room changed from Spidarro to Kloppman. He smiled and said, "You got your wish Crutchie...Now off to the party you go!"  
"But I don't have a crutch", CinderCrutchie said, "Mush broke it"  
  
"Well for tonight you will be able to run like the wind and when you return you will find a new crutch." Kloppman waved his wand and Crutchie stood up on both legs. He walked over to Mr.Kloppman and shook his hand saying, "Gee Thanks Mr.Kloppman.... See ya later!"  
  
As CinderCrutchie ran out the door Kloppman stopped him warning, "Now listen and take heed young CinderCrutchie, this magic only lasts until midnight. So be sure you're home before then or you'll be in trouble."  
  
CinderCrutchie nodded and ran to Davy's house to join the party. When he arrived a phonograph played lively music and everybody danced happily and ate the food that Davy's mother had prepared.   
  
When CinderCrutchie arrived, all the other Newsies mouths fell open in shock. CinderCrutchie walked pass them and asked a pretty girl if she wanted to dance. She agreed and Crutchie was very happy.  
  
As CinderCrutchie and the beautiful girl (whose name was Danielle) danced. They fell in love. They talked and laughed a lot. She thought that CinderCrutchie's laugh was cute and it reminded her of something, but she couldn't think of what it was.   
  
The night trailed on and soon it was 11:45. As bad as he hated to CinderCrutchie left Danielle's arms and ran back to the boarding house. Looking at the grandfather clock he saw it was 11:59. When he got to the side of his bunk he fell down...it was midnight and all the magic for CinderCrutchie was over, but as he lied in bed he thought, "It was nice while it lasted".  
  
The next morning CinderCrutchie awoke thinking that everything had been a wonderful dream. All the Newsies were still asleep and so Crutchie got up to fix breakfast but as he entered the kitchen Mr.Kloppman was making oatmeal in a big pot. He looked at CinderCrutchie and said, "Go back to sleep...I'll take care of it." CinderCrutchie nodded and walked back to the bedroom.   
  
At nine-o clock all the Newsies were up and very upset with CinderCrutchie for attending the party and dancing with the prettiest girl there, (except for Davy's sister). They were very mean to CinderCrutchie and gave him loads of work, but nothing could take CinderCrutchie's mind off of last night.   
  
Everyone began to eat and then there was a knock at the door. Danielle stood there and asked if she could see the man who she danced with last night...the one who was the nicest guy she had ever met.   
  
Mush and Racetrack took CinderCrutchie and locked him in the closet and walked over to Danielle and tried to charm her but she told them they were not her true love. She called them pigs and then CinderCrutchie began to laugh inside the closet. Danielle walked over and asked them to unlock the door. When she saw CinderCrutchie she smiled. CinderCrutchie looked at her and asked why she didn't think his raggedy clothes and dirty face were appalling. She replied that it didn't matter how he looked on the outside because she knew that he was a wonderful person on the outside and that he had the cutest little goat laugh she had ever seen. CinderCrutchie blushed and two walked out of the boarding house holding hands and lived happily every after. 


End file.
